ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. dip — to sink
  4. current — happening now
  5. tube — a container
  6. root — of a word
  7. root — of a plant
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. can — a tin
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. current — of water
  12. can — a tin
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. can — to be able to
  15. root — the cause
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. current — electric

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com